Cape Breton's Magazine

much smaller "partridge shot" pellets. We ran out of air and had to surface after Dave picked up another silver spoon. Returning home that day, we were certain that we had made an important find and would have to search the area more thor? oughly than any location we had searched previously. Inclement weather, however, prevented us from diving for three days. Finally, we returned to the promising spot. After dropping anchor, Dave and I descended to the cannon at the foot of the rock formation. Swimming back to the loca? tion of the first coin discoveries, I headed off in one direction while Dave searched the bottom about 20 feet off to my side, slowly checking every inch of the way. Then after I had travelled about 50 feet or so, I came across a crevice in the rock which gave me the thrill of a life? time! It was filled to the brim with slate grey coins, just like the silver ones re? covered a few days earlier. The scene gave me a strange feeling, a mixture of disbe? lief and joy. I picked a few up and turned to let Dave know. It was not necessary. He loomed behind holding both hands out? stretched in front of him. both full of coins. Dropping the coins, we shook hands and congratulated each other, 60-odd feet below the surface of the Atlantic, which for so long had hidden this treasure. We immediately began to gather the coins, scooping them up by the handful and fill? ing our canvas specimen bags. The wooden chests holding the coins had long since disintegrated, but a staggering concentra? tion of coins remained. After about 30 minutes, Dave signalled for us to go up for a change of air tanks and give the news to Harvey. I placed my bag, almost too heavy to lift, into our wire mesh sal? vage basket and reluctantly left for the surface. After clambering aboard, we broke the news to Harvey, who immediately hauled the basket up. Lifting the heavy bags, he dumped the contents on the deck. After some initial hooting, the three of us talked and joked excitedly as we stared at the heap of wet coins, the reality of it finally sinking in. We had done it. Anxious to go down again, we changed air tanks and headed back for the treasure ar? ea. It is impossible to describe the over? whelming excitement that we felt at the sight of all those coins. Everything else was dismissed from our minds--even the dog? fish, sharks and seals swimming around. Our only concern was to collect as many coins as possible and return home. We had almost collected enough coins to fill our bags when we both spotted something that made us gasp. There, at the bottom of the crevice, below the layers of silver, was the unmis? takable glitter of gold! Gold coins, in perfect condition. The silver coins were forgotten for a few moments while we picked up every gold coin we could lay our hands on. With the bags full to capacity, we sur? faced and got Harvey to pull them on deck. As Dave and I scrambled on board like a couple of beached whales, Harvey broke out JULY 19-20-21 World Trade & Convention Centrel & the Metro Centre HALIFAX Tickets on sale at the Halifax Metro Centre Box Office beginning June 3 (CREDIT CARD LINE: 451-1221) Weekend Pass: $5.00 advance or $6.00 at door Children 10 & un'S* ''' ' adult): Free "'te' Province of VV. Nova Scotia Senior Citizens'Secretariat M Health and Welfare Canada ROYAL aNK Sant6 et Bien-dtre social Canada 'irNova AirCanada Wonderful Entertainment featuring Red Buttons accompanied by John Alphonse & 10th Anniversary Orchestra Sat., July 20: 2 PM & 8:30 PM • Sun., July 21: 2 PM The Men of the Deeps Sat., July 20:6:30 PM And more than... • 30 Senior Entertainment Acts • 170 Exhibit Booths • 25 Seminars • 100 Artists & Craftspeople R E D B U T T 0 N S M 0 J|p| F '1 T 'kj H ." rP E J THE Citadel Inn Halifax THEGHROMCLE-HERALD The Mail-Star i 8 FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: ' 11''''Mbmtm'm''B'''''''' Seniors' Expo s WU''mr'' - ''V''''''"' i 4th Floor, Dennis BIdg., 1740 Granville St., P.O. Box 2065, Halifax, N. S. B3J 2Z1 TEL: (902) 424-7957 • FAX: (902) 424-0561